Somebody's Watching
Aug 28: Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
St. Augustine’s Feast Day comes right after his mother’s, which I think most sons would appreciate.1 Relevant to today’s readings, St. Augustine asked: “Should we conceal whatever good we do from the eyes of men and fear that it be seen? If you are afraid that people will see you, you will have no imitators; therefore you should be seen. But that isn’t why you should allow yourself to be seen. The goal of your joy mustn’t be there, nor the end of your gladness, that you should think that you have acquired the whole fruit of your good work when you have been seen and praised.
“Let him who works through you be praised in you. Don’t accomplish whatever good you do for your own praise, then, but for the praise of him from whom you have the means to do good.”
Reading 1
1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction. You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. In every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves openly declare about us what sort of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
This letter contains the first known reference to the Christian theological virtues, faith, hope, and love. These are just words, concepts. People can see Christians by how they act, towards themselves, towards others, towards God.
This is a counter-example to the Pharisees we’ll meet in today’s Gospel.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia!
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Israel was a tiny nation, and they needed to remember that all of their victories come from God. And so they sing His praise constantly, because He chose them, not the other way around.
Alleluia
Jn 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Recognizing Jesus’ call does not mean that we are the ones choosing Him; He still chose us.
Gospel
Mt 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.
"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it."
Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom so he could open the gates. The scribes and Pharisees, on the other hand, have use their authority to block the gates. Their example and their teachings are an obstacle to their followers. They’re leading their sheep astray, unlike the good shepherd.
If we’re in a position to teach, we have to be cautious. We don’t want to lead someone astray, “make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as ourselves.”
I didn’t use the readings suggested for today’s memorial, because the Gospel is the same as Saturday’s, which was itself a repeat of a day in Lent, and I can defend calling priests “father” only so many times.